Nikkisha Walker: Pursuing Style Through Business and Life
PART OF THE SOLUTION - Purpose: To recognize black people who are part of the solution for others (bringing joy, helping others, changing lives) while being part of their own solution (self-fulfillment and actualization).
December '07/January '08
Entrepreneurship Fueled by Fashion for the Everyday Woman
Early 30s
Tulsa
,
OK
Fort Worth, TX
M.O.C.H.A. Butterfly
2002
Before the era of reality TV, Nikki watched runway shows on the fledgling E! network and cut out magazine ads of fashions that caught her eye.
She is a second-generation seamstress, so fashion is in her genes. As a child, Nikki gathered hand-me-downs and fabrics from her mother’s sewing room. She used these to create her own visions.
Nikki earned her B.A. in Communications. Never one to waste time, after graduation she used her emphasis in Broadcast Journalism to secure a job as a reporter for a local newspaper. She progressed in reporting for a few years before admitting to herself that journalism was a great profession, but it was not hers. Nikki knew the difference between interest and passion and used $100 to begin her clothing line. Her first sale of a denim skirt she designed was $25. It’s a small amount, but what it meant, that she was doing what she’d always wanted, was huge.
The acronym stands for Manifesting Our Creative Hidden Abilities. Her current collection is a tasteful assortment of sexy tops, dresses and belts in a variety of rich colors suited to a range of shapes and sizes. These mostly stretch knit creations have a classic look than can be further styled and accessorized to bring out any woman’s personality or mood.
Though it began as a casually chic clothing line for women, Nikki is building a company that will be a place of free-flowing creativity for herself and others in the fashion industry. Her eventual goal is for M.O.C.H.A. to be a household name and, we suspect, a household concept. Plans for her next collection are detailed on the website.
Though building M.O.C.H.A. from the ground up has been a rewarding and empowering experience, the competitive worlds of business and fashion are often difficult to successfully navigate. Nikki has a list of challenges that she must meet head on to continue doing what she loves on her own terms. Finding techniques, best practices and profitable contacts that help her move forward and grow is a non-stop job. Because she is a risk taker and a self-starter, Nikki has also become a master at being a self-motivator. She is no stranger to discouragement and knows that it comes along with encouragement and prosperity. Nikki coaches herself over each obstacle and reminds herself that the price of doing what she was born to do is high. Yet there’s no question that her efforts are always worth it.
This designer has always been inspired by the everyday woman and her clothing needs. She believes that all women have a right to look and feel beautiful while being comfortable. Nikki is inspired by other clothing designers who keep all women, rather than a fraction of the population, in mind when creating a look or a line. This sister is a realist and she knows that “everything does not look good on everybody.”
Our Editor-In-Chief was referred to M.O.C.H.A. Butterfly through a friend who loved, not only the site, but the realistic look of the models. We checked out Nikki’s personal story and felt it should be shared. Nikki Walker is a woman who nurtured her passion and turned it into her dream. She is not finished and her long-term goals are only beginning to be realized. She’s a woman who makes looking good more than a mission. It’s her business.
www.mymochabutterfly.com
